I’ve been close to the Summit School District for a while, married to an educator and supported many athletic events. I’ve taken a step even closer in the past year, enrolling my 7-year-old in kindergarten. This experience has enlightened me to the incredible influence this school district has on our kids and thus our community’s future. I have the capabilities and confidence to steward that future forward. Here’s why.

My philosophy and how I set a positive example for my daughter? Get involved. As an involved community member, I’ve served on the Wellington Neighborhood board and Carriage House early education center’s board. I’m currently a co-chair for Vail Resorts Epic Promise Foundation in Breckenridge, which support staff and dependents in times of need through relief grants and educational grants.

Through my more than 13 years in management at Breckenridge Ski Resort, I’ve learned the skills necessary to treat others with integrity, provide support and, above all else, listen to differing voices. My staff knows my dedication for full connection from the community because they see it every day in how I prioritize communication, transparency and involvement.

Who I am is all well and good, but what the Summit County voters should care about is what I will do as a board member. I’m a real community member with just a few priorities that I’d like to share with you.

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Priority 1: Ensure each and every student is provided the opportunity to learn and grow

We need to continue to challenge ourselves to look at our offerings for all different types of students, not just the ones who have learning come easy. This means properly supporting those with learning disabilities, challenging our gifted learners, partnering with concurrent enrollment, supporting and expanding our career and technical offerings (to appeal to those who are career bound versus college bound) and continuing to support a comprehensive dual language program — starting in elementary school and continuing through to high school. There’s a lot out there for our kids; we just need to continue to provide more opportunities for them.

Priority 2: Get these kids consistently healthy

Student wellness is incredibly important for the health of school districts. If kids are missing school, that means our school is missing them. Our community, and thus our school district, needs to mitigate the risk that vaping and mental health pose to our kids. We need to build an accurate and effective support system to ensure each kid’s health is strengthened.

Priority 3: Those that teach need us

To be a leader in education, we need to support our educators. We need to be the positive example in Colorado for our current educators and our potential educators. We need to attract the next generation of talent to our schools to ensure the next generation of our kids has a strong future. How we ensure consistent training, tools and compensation is just as critical for these pillars of our community as it is for our kids.

That’s a lot for a voter to take in. Maybe you just are concerned with who I am — as you’ve learned, I’m a mom of a 7-year-old, wife of a high school teacher, manager of ticket sales for a ski resort and deeply passionate about our community’s future through education. Does that make me qualified for a position on the school board? Potentially. Would I be great at it? Yes. I’m organized, dedicated, strong at communication, and have my priorities straight. I will make sure our kids succeed, and really that’s all that matters.

Please vote for me in the upcoming election Nov. 5. Questions? Reach out to me on my Facebook page, Emily Lutke for Summit School Board. I look forward to serving our community.

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